​

     Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” With reference to the quotation by Nelson Mandela, I believe that education will develop the innate skills and talents with which each individual is uniquely endowed. It is important people realises that education is essential to our progress and development (Elizabeth King. (2011) Education is Fundamental to Development and Growth). Without education, without the help of schools, teachers and family, we cannot truly uncover the hidden talents and abilities of the youth. Furthermore, education provides a fairer future for all as it can nourish children of different social classes, race, religion, beliefs and gender to treat others with equal respect and to always care for each other.

     In these modern times, with the rapid growth and development of in technology, I believe that everyone in the world should be as lucky as I am to have their rights, to be able to go to school every day, to be able to learn, to play, to enjoy what nature has to offer, and most importantly, be free… But I am wrong. Each day, each waking hour I still see fellow Malaysians begging on the streets, people who resort to crime to feed their family, children who are neglected by their parents and left to strive on their own, maids who are badly treated or raped by their employers and the minorities who do not have true freedom of speech and rights.

     Currently, I think that poverty is a major issue that many countries in the world are facing. According to the world Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 1.2 billion people all around the globe are living in extreme poverty (World Health Organisation. (2018) Poverty and Health). I was indeed utterly shocked by the figure, 1.2 billion. With the modern advancement in technology, I believe that most people should be living a comfortable lifestyle, but I am wrong. Looking closely into the problem, I believe that education plays a major role in eradicating poverty. I always ponder, what is it that causes poverty? Why do people live in the uncertainty of being unable to buy food to feed their family? The reason is simple, due to the lack of education, many are unable to find good jobs. In this modern society, most jobs require one or more of these following skills: communication, writing skills, technical skills and critical thinking. Most of these skills can be acquired through education and it plays a primary role in ensuring a fairer and poverty free future.

     According to EFA Global Monitoring Report’s Education Transformation booklet, education enables a person to escape poverty as they get to hone their skills and knowledge needed to improve their livelihoods (GEM report. (2013) we will never eradicate poverty without quality education for all). From here, they increase the productivity of a country and contributes to economic growth. Which is why, to improve the lives of the poor, inequality must be overcome through education. Education is indeed necessary to eradicate poverty because it makes sure that the benefits of growth are fairly shared. But, to ensure that everyone has equal rights to education, the government plays an important role to spread awareness so as to educate its citizens about the importance of education for a fairer future. This includes breaching the social gaps between the rich and the poor. This is vital to eradicate poverty and to boost shared prosperity. In addition to that, education also contributes to a fairer future as it can help reduce the vicious circle of poverty. Through my experience, I have seen many poor families which struggled to survive, and I discovered why. It all starts from the few generation before, where the parents never bothered to work hard or never received proper education, and due to negligence, children also suffer due to their irresponsible actions. Without proper care and common goal to achieve success in life most of them just drop out of school as they do not see the true importance of education and therefore the poverty cycle goes on and on. Due to this, it is necessary that education be taught equally, full of care and responsibility to generate an intelligent society.

     “Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” Quoted by Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, her brave and courageous act to provide women equality and promote education for girls really inspired me (Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. (2018) Malala Yousafzai). I also agree that girls can be equally or even better than men in any aspects. With education, girls can contribute and recreate better communities and make a difference in the world (MALALA FUND. (2018) Girl’s Education). Education can contribute to a fairer future as it creates awareness of human rights. One issue that still affects women is gender discrimination in the workplace. Although gender discrimination is against the law in many countries, women do still face obstacles in many firms that makes it difficult for them to receive promotions which they deserve. This is particularly obvious when they face the glass ceiling, where they can seldom acquire senior posts.        

Not many years ago, the power which women have in current times seemed impossible as they do not have human rights, equal opportunities nor freedom of speech. As Mark Twain once said,” It is by the goodness of God, that we have those three unspeakably precious things; freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and the prudence never to practise either of them.” Here, I believe that education played a big role in the rise of women’s movement and has helped gain much rights for women all around the globe. In reference to human rights, human trafficking is also a major problem faced by our world today. According to the International labour Organization (ILO), around 24.9 million victims are trapped by modern-day slavery, with sixty-four percent exploited for forced labour and nineteen percent being sex slaves (Human rights first organisation. (2017) Human Trafficking by the numbers). I also greatly feel that with education people will no longer be tricked or cheated by human traffickers. Prostitution is also increasing as a result of lack of education where women or girls have to result to this to earn a living.

     Other than that, pollution is also a major problem which all countries face around the world. So, actually how does educating the people about the effects and causes of pollution contribute to a fairer future for every one? As a seedling of this beautiful and precious Mother Earth, I believe that polluting the environment is a selfish act as it is not fair for the generations to come to inherit the results of the mistakes of this generation. In reference to the topic, education is vital to create an eco-friendly environment where everyone is well aware of the dangers of climate change and work hard to contribute towards a better, and fairer future for all, and as Robert Swan once said,” The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”.

     In conclusion, education does play an important role in ensuring a fairer future for all. For years to come, I hope that everyone has the opportunity to gain access to their primary rights which ultimately include their rights for education. With this, it is important that a more secure and fairer future is provided to all humans and most importantly the youth. As Mother Teresa once said, “I am like a little pencil in God’s hand. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it.” I do hope that one day I can be that little pencil and make my own contribution to society. I wish that more people will see the importance of equal rights and play a role to support gender equality, as well as understand the consequences of our actions. Lastly, education is a fundamental right and must be passed down to generations to come to better improve the lives of our future children and grandchildren. As Longfellow once said,” Our ingress into the world was naked and bare: Our progress through the world was trouble and care: Our egress from the world will be nobody knows where: But if we do well here, we shall do well there!”

 

A poem to ponder on:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where knowledge is free

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls

Where words come out from the depth of truth

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way

Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the mind is led forward by thee

Into ever-widening thought and action

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

-Rabindranath Tagore  

 

References:

1. Elizabeth King. (2011) Education is Fundamental to Development and Growth. http://blogs.worldbank.org/education/education-is-fundamental-to-development-and-growth

2. World Health Organisation. (2018) Poverty and Health.

3. GEM report. (2013) We will never eradicate poverty without quality education for all

4. Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. (2018) Malala Yousafzai 

5. MALALA FUND. (2018) Girl’s Education

6. Human rights first organisation.(2017) Human Trafficking By The Numbers

7. K.K. Cherian. QUOTES FOR REFLECTION AND RELAXATION. Mumbai. Pauline Sisters Bombay Society, 2016. 

​

​

​